No Silver Bullet in GMO Golden Rice

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NO SILVER BULLET IN GMO GOLDEN RICE

Blog > No Silver Bullet in GMO Golden Rice

No Silver Bullet in GMO Golden Rice

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If you are a GMO debate follower, you probably belong to one of four corners in this boxing ring. (Why do rings have corners, you may wonder, but that is a debate for a different time)

Anti-GMO
You may believe humans should not tamper with evolution or you are deeply concerned with unforeseen environmental effects that GMOs may trigger. You are dubious about corporate intent to do good or you may have a religious opposition to tampering with God’s creatures. Irrespective of the reasons, you probably oppose genetic research even if it is deeply regulated. You will vote “Yes” on GMO labeling where you would demand companies declare GMO ingredients in food labels. Ideally though, you may support a complete ban on GMO in foods.

Pro GMO & anti-labeling
You support genetic research and believe responsible and competent scientists are the ones controlling the process. You think the good it can do far outweighs the risks. You may believe the market must be allowed to prevail in this debate and not the regulators and that the environmentalists are habitually shrill and overstating risks. Consequently you think there is no need to legislate GMO labeling and consumers are not going to be better served by this bureaucracy.

Pro GMO, but Pro-labeling
You perhaps believe genetic modification is almost evolutionary or that the GMO train has inexorably left the platform and there is no turning back. You might even support GMO in cash crops (Cotton, Tobacco etc.) provided there are substantial experimental controls on consequences. You may believe the standards for testing must be raised and include not just efficacy, clinical and safety trials but also a new level of environmental trials. You do not easily support genetic modification in food crops and hence will absolutely support GMO labeling in all food be it in retail packs or in food service establishments.

GMO Fence sitter
Perhaps you are relatively new to the debate or have been overexposed but unconvinced by arguments on both sides. Perhaps your family is divided on the issue and you are the impartial referee, or equally likely you just don’t know enough and are smart enough not to make up your mind with half-truths. You may be pro- science & left-of-center or you are pro-environment but right of center. In this debate the fence appears to you the least prickly place for now.

Irrespective of your preferred corner in this debate, you are probably familiar with Golden Rice and have probably read a bit about it. It has become the poster child for the GMO lobby and viewed as a Trojan horse for the watchdogs. Let me explain.

Partially developed by the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) in Manila, Philippines Golden Rice is a genetically modified crop that has a gene from corn and (animal) bacterium embedded in a rice variety that helps produce beta carotene which is a precursor to Vitamin A in the human body. This is being paraded as a major breakthrough. Why? WHO claims, quarter to half a million children goes blind annually & half of them perish within a year of losing their sight due to Vitamin A deficiency. Now, you can see where this argument is headed.   IRRI chief Mr. Robert Ziegler and the GMO lobby are full of righteous indignation that environmentalists and Governments should even oppose such a miracle as Golden Rice instead of rushing to restore the sights of millions of children around the world. No surprise, opponents of GMO are feeling a bit flat-footed. How do you oppose something like this without being labeled a child killer?! It appears the corporate “evil” shoe is now on the other foot. Let’s look at some facts on Golden Rice before we raise our voices from our respective four corners.

  • It is now axiomatic that Vitamin A deficiency causes child blindness and that consuming Beta Carotene helps the body produce Vitamin A.
  • Golden Rice has been in development for more than 20 years and it does seem to have the extra beta-carotene that even lends it color to the grain making it golden instead of the characteristic white.
  • The original developers and scientists working on Golden Rice were powered by a sense of greater good and they even mandated that the grain when fully developed and distributed to famers be on a not-for-profit basis.
  • Field trials conducted across several countries did produce the beta- carotene but the affordability and yields are still not satisfactorily established.
  • Governments in Japan, China, India and even the Philippines (where the rice was developed) are yet to authorize this GMO crop.
  • The not-for-profit mandate seems to have gotten a bit blurred along the way since it now appears to be owned by Agro Chemical giant Syngenta, even as work on it continues at IRRI

It may appear Golden Rice is being touted for it potential more than for its performance and is clearly being defended even before its fully commercialized. Notwithstanding these hurdles, scientists will ultimately get it right and pressure on governments will only mount. But in this entire debate over the years, all of us have gotten so anchored in the GMO vs. non-GMO debate that the elephant in the room is no longer visible to us. Here is the big question that is not being asked. Can GMO Golden Rice really prevent child blindness? The unfortunate but practical answer is No. This was explained to me in a recent conversation I had recently with a pre-eminent doctor and national award winning eye specialist (who had not heard about Golden Rice!). He said that in his experience, he had seldom witnessed child blindness solely due to Vitamin A deficiency! Malnutrition and dehydration, he explained prevent Vitamin A absorption in the body and it is this lack of bioavailability of Vitamin A that triggers blindness. No amount of fortified rice will prevent blindness without first addressing the basic problems of nutrition and dehydration that plagues poor children in dozens of countries in Asia and Africa. This is akin to treating a symptom while ignoring the cause.
Countries will need to continue work towards improving food security and ensure their children get the basic macro nutrients in the form of carbohydrates, fats and proteins and then travel through Maslow’s hierarchy of micronutrients such as Vitamin A, Iron, Iodine etc.

Whichever corner of the ring you now find yourself in, the fight on Golden Rice deserves to be taken to a different theater, free from the clutter and the noise of the GMO debates.



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Food Labeling and Genetic Research

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FOOD LABELING AND GENETIC RESEARCH

Blog > Food Labeling and Genetic Research

Food Labeling and Genetic Research

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By Ashok Vasudevan Scientific American is one of my favorite magazines- it educates, informs and occasionally even entertains. The September 2013 special issue on Food is quite broad in its appeal and touches on a host of issues including food science, food processing and even food politics. The editorial “Fight the GM Food Scare” says “mandatory labels for genetically modified foods are a bad idea”. As a food entrepreneur, an academic and a student of agriculture; I have been siting on the GMO fence, not clear on how corporates and governments must react. So this issue of Scientific American for me was very timely. The editorial helped me make up my mind. They are wrong. Here’s why. 

“The issue is in no way simple”, it stated in the first paragraph. Such an editorial beginning promised deep analysis, but soon disappointed. It made a weak argument against GMO labeling and a strong one in support of genetic crops. The premise is that if you support genetic research you must oppose labeling. This is simplistic. “Instead of providing people with useful information, mandatory GMO labels would only intensify the misconception” This seems to be the crux of their argument! A popular science magazine’s responsibility is to explain complex concepts simply and minimize misconceptions and not deliberately keep people in the dark. It is true, many of us don’t understand our calories come from carbohydrates, proteins and fats, let alone comprehend the difference between poly and unsaturated fats. So do we now object to FDA nutritional labeling because confused consumers will make bad food decisions? They then move to support genetics by claiming we’ve been: “Tinkering with our food’s DNA since the dawn of Agriculture”. There is a fundamental difference in plant breeding between mutation, hybridization, tissue culture and GMO, particularly as they pertain to labeling laws. Prop 37 in California had reasonably tight language that requires that to be labeled GMO genetic material has to be changed through DNA injection or cell fusion that breaches a “taxonomic family”. Effectively, hybrid varieties of crops are not GMO. For a scientific journal to not point this out, is tantamount to intensifying misconception. “Today it is virtually impossible to find GMOs in European supermarkets”, the article bemoans, making us believe the hapless Europeans have no high quality food choices! Europe mandated GMO labeling almost 15 years ago. Today Europeans are significantly healthier and leaner than Americans and their supermarkets have great products.  I was shocked to learn that today ~70 percent of processed foods in the US contain GM ingredients. Yet, we debate whether GMO labeling is needed. Honestly, what would we rather have? A 70% certainty of GMO foods for dinner, a near 100% certainty of non-GMO or that ignorance is bliss? “Because conventional crops often require more water and pesticides than GMOs do, the former are usually more expensive”. Here is another dubious argument that is alarmist and trifle ignorant. Alarmist because of its tone and ignorant about how discerning, farmers really are. The brutal truth is agri-companies have no interest in selling GMO crops that don’t need chemicals. Monsanto and Syngenta are mere poster children and they are not alone. “The GMO-fearing can seek out ‘100% organic’ products.” So why label, they ask. This sounds petulant and childish. So why not make the reverse argument, i.e. support GMO labeling and let “value-seekers simply buy cheaper products”! Maybe the truth is they want no food labeling – be it GMO, organic or nutritional. So what if consumers don’t know. At least they won’t misunderstand! The editorial reinforces support for genetic crops by referencing a seven-year study in India about GMO crops that gave farmers “a 24% increase in yield and a 50% increase in profit”. It fails to mention this study was not on a food crop but on Bt Cotton (owned by Monsanto) and while results were promising, they have not been replicated elsewhere. Or that the farmers in the study used more chemicals than normal and not less. A Govt. empowered panel is investigating these results and their report is imminent.  “Green peace and other anti-GMO organizations have used misinformation and hysteria to delay the introduction of Golden Rice in Philippines, India and China”. Golden rice is instructive. Developed by the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) in the Philippines and now owned by Syngenta, it supposedly produces beta-carotene that helps prevent blindness. It is a GMO that has broken a species barrier. It comes impregnated by genes from corn and bacterium. But expecting governments to approve this, using the argument that it is generally recognized as safe (GRAS standards) is not setting the bar high enough. I have met with literally thousands of farmers in my years in the Agri-business and I know that if they believed GMO crops would use less water and pesticides (and by the way, prevent blindness in their children) there would be a stampede in their rush to GMOfy and they would literally overturn governments if policy and laws stood in their way. Do the editors really think that the Governments in China, Philippines and India don’t want to prevent blindness in 500,000 children annually by simply waving the Golden Rice wand? Or they want to keep their farmers poor? Seriously?  Concerns about GMO foods need to be heeded. Its impact has not been fully studied or understood. We are still in the discovery phase and the road to iteration, development and documentation is long and arduous.  Supporting GMO labeling need not mean opposing genetic research. Eventually both sides will win this battle. Genetic manipulation seems embedded in our evolutionary gene and the future is likely to be filled with genetically modified organisms as science improves and corporations become more responsible. Equally, GMO labeling will continue to evolve as consumers become more aware and governments more responsive. For now a tentative start in GMO labeling is better than keeping 300 million consumers in the dark. That’s not what a free society does. We should embrace knowledge-sharing and notshun it based on unfounded fears.



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Processed Foods or Prepared foods

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PROCESSED FOODS OR PREPARED FOODS?

Blog > PROCESSED FOODS OR PREPARED FOODS?

PROCESSED FOODS OR PREPARED FOODS?

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By Ashok Vasudevan Words are beautiful couriers of meaning. A single word can invoke a smile, ignite love, whet our appetite and even make food taste delicious – all at the same time. Just as easily, they can engender bias- either when used without discrimination or when received with suspicion. Words can transform behavior and when misunderstood, cost money. Lots of it. Not just for individuals, but for families, communities and societies at large. 
Let me illustrate this further by choosing some words du jour in the food industry. An increasing base of health conscious consumers react as one to words such as carbohydrates  (bad),  protein (good), fiber (good), local (good), GMO (bad), natural (good), organic (good), processed (bad) and so on. You get my drift. 

Right now I’d like to set the record straight on one of those words. “Processed“ foods are getting a pounding (mostly deserved) by the media and consumers alike. We are also witnessing increased government activism as cities and states hope to improve public health by regulating their sales.

So what are processed foods and what seems to be the problem?

 Lets start with some nutrition basics. Proteins, Fats and Carbohydrates, constitute the macronutrients in food. Fats & proteins are crucial for building tissues, and physical insulation in our bodies. Carbs are the fuel that provides the necessary energy for the human body that account for normal functions such as heartbeat, digestion, walking, eating, etc. Effectively, more than 60% of the all the energy our body needs comes from carbohydrates. And almost all carbs (99%) we eat come from fruits, vegetables and grains[i]. (Meats contain virtually no carbs.) When we eat whole grains, fruits, and vegetables, our body receives life-sustaining forms of “complex” carbohydrates. These complex carbs also contain fiber, vitamins and minerals- the micronutrients. . While fiber itself is not digested, it plays a vital role in the digestive process. Complex carbs take time to digest as they are broken down methodically to simple carbs, which finally get absorbed as glucose in our blood stream. To understand processed foods also requires us to understand the difference between simple and complex carbohydrates[ii]. Simple carbohydrates are basically simple sugars with virtually no nutritional value and hence it is best to limit their consumption. Examples of simple carbs include sugar, glucose, chocolate, jam, carbonated soft drinks, fruit juice, honey, crackers etc. Most fruits, and milk are also simple carbs though clearly, some of them are good for you.  We can find complex carbs in whole grains, (like brown rice, quinoa, Amaranth, millets, whole wheat), most vegetables (lettuce heads and mushrooms are some exceptions with no complex carbs) and legumes (peas, peanuts, beans, lentils etc.).[iii] In a sentence, they are good for you. So, why is this related to processed foods industry and why the drubbing? I am calling it their “subtract, add, transform” problem.

First they subtract. Vegetables, grains and legumes are stripped off their complex carbs, fibers, minerals and vitamins when they are treated or “processed” to produce easily digested, “sugary” foods. Examples of subtraction abound and include some of our favorites, like white rice (brown rice minus bran), white bread (whole wheat grain minus bran minus wheat germ, then baked), refined flour (whole grain minus bran, then pounded), cream of wheat (whole wheat minus bran minus germ, then coarse ground).   Second, they add a long list of additives including colors, flavors, enhancers, binders, food chemicals, stabilizers and preservatives, to make a perfectly simple recipe look like an inorganic chemistry textbook. We all go shopping for such products everyday. We come across breads that contain high fructose corn syrup and bromates, juices with sodium benzoate and potassium citrate, jams with sodium diacetate and even some butter with added colors and flavors! Finally, they transform. Claiming innovation we bring forming, processing and preservation technologies to create new products and claim to enhance taste, nutrition and convenience.  Then they back-pedal and introduce variants that are less harmful hoping consumers feel less guilt (e.g. low fat, low sodium, diet versions etc.). They then fortify with iron, omega-3, anti-oxidants and calcium after stripping them from the original raw materials in the first place! 

Ingredients statements in products we buy are as important (if not more) than even the nutrition label.  Here is one example of ingredients in a rice product available in stores nationwide:

             Long Grain & Wild Rice


If you see names of ingredients you don’t recognize, cannot pronounce or if it reminds you of your chemistry class, you know you are dealing with processed foods. I don’t mean to suggest most food companies are irresponsible or that they don’t have the consumers’ health & wellness at heart. Quite a few do and their brands have outpaced the growth of traditional companies over the past decade. Look around the world to see the number of small food companies that have emerged on the platform of sustainability, natural, and organic. These companies, don’t process food. They prepare it like we might, at home. They use natural and organic ingredients, whole vegetables, whole grains, and legumes.  These companies prepare these foods in the kitchens of their factories and not process them in the shop floor of their manufacturing facility. They don’t subtract, add, or transform. They cook.  Here’s an example of ingredients in another rice product that has recognizable ingredients: Water, Brown Rice, Sunflower Oil! 

These companies have understood that consumers will seek and find foods that combine great taste, health & wellness and real convenience. This is a holistic way of life that consumers have chosen and its here to stay.
To these companies I think words are important. Sustainability to them means sustaining the health of the planet, health of their consumers and the health of the company. Such companies and their consumers know the difference between processed foods and prepared foods.
References:

[i] T.Colin Campbell, Thomas M. Campbell, The China Study: The Most Comprehensive Study of Nutrition Ever Conducted and the Startling Implications for Diet, Weight Loss and Long term Health (Benbella Books, Dallas Texas, 2006), 213


[ii]http://www.fitday.com/fitness-articles/nutrition/carbs/simple-vs-complex-carbohydrates.html

[iii] http://www.livestrong.com/article/27398-list-complex-carbohydrates-foods/



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Center vs. Center of Gravity

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CENTER VS. CENTER OF GRAVITY

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Center vs. Center of Gravity

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By Ashok Vasudevan It is sometimes comforting to know that you have struck a balance in an argument and are able to see the other 2 extremes dispassionately, even though you disagree with both positions to some measure. And when informed public opinion is supportive of your position, your sense of wellbeing is further enhanced. You feel “balanced” at this center of gravity. But in the real world this is easier said than done. Imagine trying to stay balanced in the center of a seesaw. This exercise may be good to strengthen your core but it is not a position you can sustain. Just try it. Now, repeat the exercise by placing 2 “extremists” at the ends of the seesaw. A new balance of power emerges and you feel steadier. In a philosophical sense it is almost as if you need these extremes just to stay centered. That is exactly the balance the new exhibition “Our Global Kitchen: Food, Nature, Culture“ currently running at the American Museum of Natural History in New York is trying to achieve.  It takes us on a fascinating and disturbing journey of the world’s oldest and largest industry (agriculture) through a light prism of history, geography, economics, evolution, science, technology and cuisinology. No easy feat. While its grasp may be less than its reach, it highlights issues that are being debated in the public domain across the disciplines mentioned. In so doing, it does not opine or attempt to compromise. Nor does it try to find common ground. But it presents facts and perspectives that make you appreciate the extremes and hopefully carve out your own positions on issues ranging from cultivation, vegetarianism, food preservation, processing, biotechnology and perhaps even GMO. Given the serious social debate on these issues, the timing of this exhibition is uncanny.

Here are a few interesting nuggets from the exhibition that will make you wonder, but may or may not change your mind. 

  • About 870 million people (one in eight humans) in the world were hungry last year and yet 35%  of all crops grown are for animal feeds and not for human consumption.
  • To make it worse, 30% of what is grown for humans does not get eaten due to wastage. What we throw out in the garbage at home is only the last stop in a long global assembly line of value addition from farming, harvesting, transporting, processing, retailing, cooking and finally garbaging. This cumulative waste is a staggering 1.4 billion tons annually.
  • Now lets talk about animal feeds. The story is worse. It takes 29 calories of feed to produce 1 calorie of beef and 20 times as much water to grow beef as growing cereal grains for human food. This is like saying it costs the US treasury $29 to print one dollar? Does that even make sense?
  • In 1895, it is believed the Atlantic Cod was 1.8 metes or “man-sized. Selective harvesting of these larger fish reduced the size of the cod to 2 feet in 1970s and only 18 inches today or baby sized.
  • A few hundred years ago the jungle fowl used to produce 12 eggs a year. We intervened and today the record production is 364 eggs a day!
  • 7000-10,000 years ago natives in the Andes transformed a poisonous plant into Potato through selective breeding. Potatoes are today the 4th most important staple food in the world. (And of course we know that the other 3, viz. Rice, Wheat and Corn each came from wild inedible grasses through massive human intervention and selective breeding.)

Through these centuries should we as humans have intervened at all? Or will you argue that our species would not have survived had we not? Is tampering with evolution sacrilegious or will you argue that it too is part of human evolution? Does that permit breaking the species barrier through biotechnology and genetic manipulation? Or will you argue that we cannot afford not to?   So who is judging? Monsanto? Pepsi? Stonyfield Farms or Tasty Bite?  Or voters for Prop 37 in California for labeling GMOs in foods or New Yorkers for opining on selling oversized sugary drinks in schools? It is true that sometimes a mind is made up and you cannot confuse it with facts however compelling. Your center is often very different from the center of gravity. For now it does not matter what you believe in for it will change and it will evolve.We live in interesting times. Lets hope we don’t allow decisiveness to trump facts.Lets strive to magically balance public health, planet health and corporate health.



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GMO Foods – A Note of Caution

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GMO FOODS – A NOTE OF CAUTION

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GMO Foods – A Note of Caution

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By Ashok Vasudevan If hybridization was the cornerstone of the Green revolution of the 60s & 70s, some would like to see GMOs (Genetically Modified Organisms) as the trigger for the next agricultural revolution. This paper will argue that it is far from it. It is true that humans have been tinkering with crops for thousands of years. Evidence of selective breeding can be found in Asia dating back to 7800 BCE. About the same time, in the Andes, the natives transformed a noxious plant into Potatoes, the 4th most important crop for humans today. The top 3 (Rice, Wheat and Corn) all came from wild inedible grasses through massive human intervention through the ages. The same process of selective breeding also spawned seedless grapes and watermelons, the fat heads of broccoli and virtually every fruit & vegetable we consume. These are inspiring stories of evolution. So far so good. But a discontinuous change happened in 1992. Using a newly acquired DNA technology, the Flavr Savr Tomato became the first genetically engineered vegetable. An inhibitor added to its DNA made it firmer with a longer shelf life. With this, the floodgates opened for GMOs. Most will however argue the GMO tomato is not a flavr savr. In fact it’s the flavor thief.  But loss of flavor is only part of the larger problem with GMOs. In 1995 we saw corn, a staple ingredient in processed foods in the US, genetically engineered to produce their own pesticides by using genes from the B.thuringiensis bacteria. By 1996, we saw a host of herbicide resistant crop seeds, allowing for entire fields to be sprayed with weed killing chemicals without damaging the crops.  All of this being done under the FDA’s (GRAS) Generally Recognized as Safe standard, rather than the more stringent Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FFDCA) for food additive tolerance requirements. In the short 25 years since its creation, we have seen the proliferation of GMOs across the US farmland and in supermarkets.  Genetically modified seeds account for 81% of the corn and 94% of the soybeans grown in the US, while in a typical grocery store 70% of what Americans find on shelves are made from ingredients that have been genetically modified! The US is the largest consumer of GMOs in the world. So it may be instructive to draw some lessons from there before countries outline their own policy towards genetic modification of food.

A bunch of arguments are made to promote benefits of GMO seeds. Main among them are higher yields, resistance to certain herbicides, and improved nutrition.  For farmers looking for a way to increase their profitability, switching to GMOs seemed like a silver bullet.  But only a few short years into what was hailed as the “next revolution in food” the GMO movement is facing serious headwinds both from within the industry and from a larger consumer movement. A good place to start is an acknowledgement that Americans are the loudest critics of GMOs today.  They are no longer fringe protesters but the mainstream of society. The millennial pushback is a tsunami and major supermarkets and literally thousands of stores across the country are supporting the non-GMO label. In fact Wholefoods has stated that by 2018 ALL its products will be non-GMO. (Let’s take this more seriously- Amazon just bought Wholefoods!) Now lets turn to the three specific arguments in support of GMOs:   1. GMO crops increase yields- so farmers are enriched: FALSEAfter over 20 years of use, no scientific study conclusively supports GMO use as increasing crop yields. Europe, which has resisted the GMO movement, continues to match US corn and sugar beet yields using non-GMO seeds and less herbicides and pesticides!


The promise of Increased yields of GMO crops was a carrot to many farmers who struggled with the high costs of running a farm.  Is their life better today? After 25 years of GMO existence the brutal fact is that apart from the colossal Federal farm subsidy of $25 Billion last year; over 20% of American farmers are on the national food assistance program (SNAP), earlier known as food stamps! 2. GMOs help reduce Agrochemical use in the farm (like Herbicides): FALSE In theory, planting herbicide resistant seeds allows for a heavy spraying of a weedkiller at the beginning of the season but less spraying during the course of the growing year, reducing overall consumption.  Unfortunately, the theory only held for a few years following the introduction of GMOs.  The Rise of the Superweed: Chemical resistant Superweeds are starting to appear on GMO farms across the US. Resistant to one or more types of weedkillers, superweeds are forcing farmers to increase and vary the chemicals used in a single growing season or worse, reverting back to heavy tilling to remove weeds which erodes topsoil.  The increased use of herbicides further raises concern of runoff water laden with toxins entering the water supply.

A picture above is worth a 1000 words. So much for reduced herbicides since the introduction of GMOs about 25 years ago.

When weeds become resistant to herbicides, new GMOs must be formulated to be resistant to additional toxic chemicals.  More R&D costs equal higher seed prices.  Farmers who habitually use GMO seeds become addicted to purchasing the newly reformulated seeds and their corresponding reformulated herbicides in a never ending vicious cycle.  3. GMOs make more Nutritious Food: FALSE The first attempt to increase the nutritional value of the food we consume by genetic modification was the Golden Rice project. Promoted as a way to prevent childhood blindness caused by a deficiency in Vitamin A, a gene from corn and (animal) bacterium was embedded in a rice variety that helps produce beta carotene, a precursor to Vitamin A in the human body. Field trials of the rice never never reached the affordability and yields required to make it commercially viable. In addition, the original premise that a Vitamin A deficiency alone caused blindness was flawed as it was later proven that a combination of dehydration and malnutrition in children prevented the absorption of Vitamin A causing the blindness. Golden Rice was fighting a symptom, not the cause. No comprehensive studies have been done to check the phytochemical dilution in vegetables as they get genetically modified. Without external  fortification it is today virtually impossible to genetically create desirable phytochemicals, micronutrients and alkaloids within a vegetable and have them bio-available to humans. No, GMOs have not enhanced human nutrition.  The Next Emerging non-tariff trade barrier- GMO Foods While the GMO/Non-GMO battle continues, health conscious consumers around the world are increasingly purchasing natural and organic foods.  Acreage certified as organic is at an all-time high, and many of the high profile food producers are entering the organic market.  (By definition, organic foods are certified non-GMO) American consumers are becoming more wary of what ingredients are in their food and are calling for mandatory GMO labeling by food manufacturers. While several food and agrochemical companies are fighting this, it seems almost inevitable that more descriptive labeling is on the way and with that, the debate will almost certainly escalate.Supermarkets are already demanding non GMO labels. Regulators are scrambling to keep pace. The foundation for a ban on GMO imports into the US and other developed markets (or at any rate increased trade barriers) is an all too realistic scenario. It appears that the next green wave of food production is at a crossroads in the US, but the manufacturers of GMOs are not waiting to see which direction the American consumer takes. They are aggressively marketing to European and Asian countries, using the same promises they made to American farmers. They question is – will history repeat.
The march of science is unstoppable and genetics is no exception. Science allows us to dream big. But the pursuit of a big dream demands careful calibration and the study of unintended consequences. Our future prosperity lies in our intelligent application of science and not in the mindless pursuit of what can be done as opposed to what ought to be done. It is true that dozens of countries (28 as of today) have allowed the growth of genetically modified crops in their farms. But it is sobering and heartening to know more countries have banned it than adopted it. Among them Russia, China and the European Union. India is on the fence but veering towards permitting GMOs. It will do well to pause. India has the potential to be the breadbasket to the world. Many things can go wrong in the pursuit of that vision. Adopting GMOs is certainly one of them  Acknowledgement: Deep debt of gratitude to Bob Wells ( Program Coordinator at The MAV Foundation, www.mavfoundation.org) for researching and providing me the early draft for this piece.



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Moringa (drumstick) and the story of Kuli Kuli

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MORINGA (DRUMSTICK) AND THE STORY OF KULI KULI

Blog > Moringa (drumstick) and the story of Kuli Kuli

Moringa (drumstick) and the story of Kuli Kuli

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Moringa (drumstick) and the story of Kuli Kuli This goal of this newsletter has always been to empower people to eat right for their wellness; to “pay the farmer not the pharmacy” as we say. From time to time, we also want to feature how game-changing entrepreneurs are rewriting the story of our relationship with food.

Today, we invite you to explore Kuli Kuli Foods, a California-based food company and how they are changing lives with, and through moringa.

Kuli Kuli – how it all started

Kuli Kuli’s founder, Lisa Curtis, first tried moringa while serving as a Peace Corps volunteer in a small village in Niger. As a vegetarian, she ate mostly rice and millet which left her feeling weak. The local women heard about her fatigue and pulled the leaves off a nearby moringa tree, mixing it with a popular peanut snack called “kuli-kuli”. Lisa ate the moringa snack everyday and found her energy return. She shortly founded Kuli Kuli to partner with women in West Africa to bring high quality moringa to a wider audience in the US, while also helping these women earn a sustainable livelihood.

Mighty Moringa: Eat the vegetable (drumstick) and its leaves (a form of spinach)

Moringa is a treasure house of essential nutrients that improve immunity. It has long been known to be an antifungal, anti-viral, antidepressant and anti-inflammatory agent. The leaves and the vegetables are both nutrient rich, and when dried & powdered the nutrient density skyrockets. Gram per gram, moringa leaves have 25x the iron content of spinach, 10x the vitamin A content of carrots, 15x the potassium of bananas and 17x the calcium of milk.

Effect on hypertension

One cause of high blood pressure is an increase of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in the blood that can cause an inflammatory response which constricts blood vessels thus increasing blood pressure. Moringa leaves contain several bioactive compounds including phenolic acids (gallic & ferulic acid) and flavonoids (such as quercetin, catechin, and epicatechin). These bioactive compounds have antioxidant properties that directly counter this oxidative stress. Regular consumption of moringa leaves has been shown to have a significant reduction in blood pressure in test subjects.

A mission to improve nutrition and lives

Moringa is a tropical tree that requires little water, and can help restore degraded soil, making it an excellent crop for farmers looking to supplement their income. Kuli Kuli partners directly with small family farmers and women’s cooperatives to help them scale, while providing ongoing technical support. Their guarantee to purchase from these farmer networks has enriched the lives of more than 3200 farmers to date, and planted more than 24.6 million moringa trees!

To learn more about this company, and for some novel recipe inspiration, visit kulikulifoods.com



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Healing food systems known for centuries

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HEALING FOOD SYSTEMS KNOWN FOR CENTURIES

Blog > Healing food systems known for centuries

Healing food systems known for centuries

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Healing food systems known for centuries
 The Incas, Mayans, ancient Chinese, Indians, Mediterraneans had long ago figured out that “we are what we eat”, and correspondingly built up a staggering knowledge of plants, nutrition and their impact on our wellness. In many ways scientists today are still playing catch up as they point out goodness of chemicals & molecules in foods through “analysis”, “evidence-based science” and “observation”.

This newsletter is committed to providing you evidence-based tips that will uncover the magical pharmacy in our kitchens. We love meta studies and peer reviewed articles, but we also hear the voices of our elders speaking to us through the centuries, gently guiding us to be aware that we are what we eat.

Today, we explore 2 ancient but powerful systems, still being practiced, though a mere shadow of their former selves, Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) and Ayurveda. There is much to learn. Superfoods are different for different people. There’s logic to seasonal foods, occupation-based diets, stage of life foods, importance of color in foods, personality-based diets etc.

TCM: foods are Yin or Yang, but balance is key!


While western nutrition classifies food based on the macro and micronutrients, TCM classifies it by its Yin (cool/cold) or Yang (warm/hot) energy. The principle is that imbalances in Yin-Yang lead to ill health; eating to restore the imbalance keeps the body at optimal health. Yang foods invigorate and fuel, while Yin foods calm, purge excess toxins, dampness or dryness in the body.

Yin foods: tofu, watermelon, starfruit, watercress, cucumber, cabbage.
Yang foods: apricot, leek, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, egg, most animal protein.

TCM: eating with the seasons


It’s no accident that we crave something cooling in the summer. TCM advises linking food & seasonal effects.

Spring – a time of renewal; reduce dampness in the body with corn, white beans, onions. Summer; cool down with watermelon, cucumber. Autumn – the shortening of days and onset of cold; lubricate with snow peas and honey. Winter – for deep reflection and restoration; embrace the slower energy with warming root veggie stews and spices.

Ayurveda classifies people along energy types or ‘Doshas’.


The duality of Yin and Yang of TCM is matched by the trinity in Ayurveda- the 3 ‘doshas’ that define body type, health, personality:
Vata (space & air): energetic, intense, creative.
Pitta (fire & water): intelligent, joyful, driven.
Kapha (earth & water): calm, loving, lethargic

Ayurvedic practitioners can identify physical & health traits for each dosha & personalize dietary advice based on this deep understanding.

Ayurveda’s fundamental advice for healthy eating.


1. Include diverse foods in every meal (‘the six tastes’) to ensure balance.
2. Stop eating when satisfied, not full.
3. Eat freshly cooked foods for energy.
4. Focus on your food while eating, so you are truly nourished.
5. Make lunch the largest meal and keep dinner light.

And consult an Ayurvedic practitioner to identify what food works best for you.

We know our body reacts well to certain foods and is indifferent to others. Let’s be acutely aware of how we feel after every meal. This heightened awareness will make us eat better, feel better.



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Farming 3.0: From the hanging gardens of Babylon to artificial intelligence

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FARMING 3.0: FROM THE HANGING GARDENS OF BABYLON TO ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE

Blog > Farming 3.0: From the hanging gardens of Babylon to artificial intelligence

Farming 3.0: From the hanging gardens of Babylon to artificial intelligence

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Farming 3.0:From the hanging gardens of Babylon to Artificial Intelligence
There is a silent global revolution gathering speed in agriculture. It goes by many names: precision farming, hydroponics, aeroponics, vertical farming, urban farming, indoor farming, aquaponics etc. It represents the convergence of agriculture, genetics & information technology and promises to usher in a new era of food security, nutrition and a reduced carbon footprint.

This new technology can release the full genetic potential of seeds aided by artificial intelligence, precisely targeted nutrition, the use of ultraviolet light and the right physical environment including temperature, moisture, humidity. Without the need for soil, rain, open air or in some cases even sunlight these plants can grow indoors, in media like peat or coconut moss and out of season and with very little water.

This controlled environment makes plants healthier and less susceptible to disease from water, air, soil and insects. Yields for plants like green leafy vegetables and some vine crops like tomatoes, cucumber and peppers can reach 100 times conventional farming without the use of synthetic fertilizers, toxic chemicals like pesticides and weedicides.

The global food security solution may finally be within our reach. Today we dig into hydroponics and answer some common questions.

What is hydroponics?
A greener revolution!


Hydroponic farming involves growing plants & vegetables in a carefully calibrated mineral-rich water solution. Growers can precisely control nutrients and microbes needed by the plant at different stages.

Hydroponics is immensely resource friendly with up to 95% savings in water and 90% reduction in land and can be grown year round. This allows hydroponic farms to increase productivity by up to 100 times as compared to traditional farming!

There are many variations of hydroponics – aquaponics, aeroponics, dryponics (to name a few) and different techniques within each of these. There is no simple answer to which of these is superior; that depends on the crop, location (climate) and other factors.

Are vegetables grown hydroponically as nutritious as those grown in soil?
Yes. And fresher too!


Plants make their own vitamins, so levels tend to be similar whether grown hydroponically or in soil. But minerals & phytonutrients in hydroponic plants can be significantly enhanced. For example, tomatoes can be redder because of more lycopene, the magical antioxidant. Kale & spinach can have more chlorophyll and iron. The result is that vegetables grown hydroponically could even be nutritionally superior to traditionally grown ones. This is achieved, not through genetic manipulation but by carefully nurturing the individual plants, helping them release their inherent nutrition.

And because they are grown close to consumers, they are fresher too arriving at homes within a day or two or sometimes within hours of harvesting. This makes them and the planet greener, cleaner, healthier.

How clean is hydroponics?
Very green, very clean


Most plant parasites originate from the soil (pests, fungi, weeds). Hydroponics reduces this incidence without assistance from toxic chemicals (pesticides, fungicides, and weedicides). Reduced parasites also allow the plant maximum access to the nutrition meant for its consumption thus forming a virtuous cycle of creating healthier, more resilient plant.

With up to 95% savings in water, and 90% in land utilization, hydroponics is immensely resource friendly. This makes it viable to be set up in urban areas, closer to consumers. This further reduces carbon intensive ‘food miles’ resulting in a cleaner planet, greener city and a healthier consumer.

Is hydroponics organic?
Not always. Yet they are significantly safer


Hydroponic companies, just like traditional farms, have the option to make organic and non-organic choices. While most use nutrients (like nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium) in ionic forms derived from chemical salts, there are emerging organic options available. Choice of growing media to support the plants is also an important consideration – there are many synthetic (foam, plugs) and natural (peat, coco-coir, rockwool) media that both work well.
But in general, they do not use synthetic fertilizers like urea, diammonium phosphate and several toxic pesticides and herbicides of conventional crops.

And because they are grown close to consumers, they are fresher too arriving at homes within a day or two or sometimes within hours of harvesting. This makes them and the planet greener, cleaner, healthier.

Is hydroponics going against nature?
NO. But it’s both evolutionary and revolutionary


4000 years ago, one of the seven wonders of the ancient world ‘The hanging gardens of Babylon’ and the Aztecs 3000 years later both grew plants on the principle of hydroponics. They were a bit ahead of their times!

The absence of soil in hydroponics is often seen as being unnatural. Soil is essentially an expensive foundation or growing media that supports a vast ecosystem that plants use. This can be easily replicated through other growing media without sacrificing the microbial environment the plant needs. The natural process of photosynthesis is not circumvented in hydroponics and it only needs 10% of the land.

Just like humans emerged from the woods and savannah to cities, homes & controlled environments, so too will plants. Hydroponics and indoor farming are creating safer environments for plants to thrive and grow to their fullest genetic potential. A well-cared for and healthy plant is naturally more resilient and nourishing than one that must expend most of its energy to survive.

Is hydroponic produce expensive?


Hydroponic produce is often slightly dearer than traditional alternatives owing to the degree of technology and craft that goes into growing higher quality, nutritionally denser, and more flavourful food. However they are significantly cheaper than most organic produce. With hydroponic farms that are closer to you, you would be paying lesser for transport and handling and the premium directly translates into a superior and cleaner product. With increase in scale and prevalence of hydroponic farms, the costs of enabling technology are also rapidly coming down.

Meanwhile, look for a locally grown hydroponic vegetable near you and enjoy its pristine flavour, colour, texture and nourishment. Let’s pay the farmer, not the pharmacy!

To learn more about the company, visit livfreshfarms.com



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Can planned nutrition + exercise reverse diabetes? Experts say YES!

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CAN PLANNED NUTRITION + EXERCISE REVERSE DIABETES? EXPERTS SAY YES!

Blog > Can planned nutrition + exercise reverse diabetes? Experts say YES!

Can planned nutrition + exercise reverse diabetes? Experts say YES!

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Can planned nutrition + exercise reverse diabetes? Experts say YES! 

It is impractical to count the daily calories we eat. So, the recommended daily allowance (RDA) of 2000 to 2500 calories/day is largely anecdotal. Also, it is crucial where these calories come from: simple carbs or complex carbs, plant or animal proteins, saturated or unsaturated fats. And computing this is equally hard.

 

So, the effective regimen is to start from our everyday baseline and make incremental changes to both quantity and quality of calories in our food. Even if we start our new regimen 10 years after the onset, research shows, we can reverse Type 2 diabetes. The 3-point mantra is eat less, eat right & workout more.

 

Eat less: Very simply, high calorie intake for diabetics leads to excess fat in the liver, leading to excess fat in the pancreas. Consequently, the liver produces more glucose and the pancreas produce lower insulin, both bad outcomes for diabetics.

 

Eat right: Whole grains, leafy vegetables, beans, healthy fats from nuts, sesame oil, olive oils, and fresh fruits provide your daily macro and phytonutrients. This balanced diet helps slow digestion, improve gut health, prevent sugar spikes and more.

 

Work out more: Apart from the well-known cardiovascular benefits, exercise lowers insulin resistance in the body and brings down HbA1C in diabetics. Ideally, exercise is recommended 1- 3 hours after eating and not on an empty stomach.

 

Know the difference: Type 1, Type 2 and gestational diabetes


Type 1 also called juvenile diabetes occurs most often in young children where the body produces little to no insulin, thus requiring daily insulin injections or risk serious complications. To date there is no known cure. But eating the right foods is perhaps as crucial as eating at the right time. Foods with low glycemic load (GL) delay blood sugar spikes and give the body time to respond to the insulin which is synced with mealtime.

Type 2 diabetes makes up 90% of cases & is most common in adults and contributed by our genes and lifestyle. This happens when the body’s insulin is unable to regulate blood glucose effectively (insulin-resistant). A bit easier to control than Type 1. See 3-point mantra above.

Gestational Diabetes is associated with pregnancy. While it typically resolves itself, the mother and children are at increased risk of developing Type 2 diabetes in later life. For pregnant women with gestational diabetes, the guidelines are to eat 3 small- medium meals daily without long gaps or snacks in between. But as always, low GI/GL foods are preferred and avoid starches, sugary drinks, fruits juices and desserts.

Legumes: your daily blood sugar defence.


The legume family – beans, lentils, peas are low glycemic foods, important for diabetics. High in fiber and protein, they prevent sugar spikes that cause insulin resistance. High in magnesium, crucial to improving insulin sensitivity in diabetics. Their dense fiber binds and excretes cholesterol from the gut. Eating legumes everyday is easy – in soups, stews, Indian/Asian/South American/Mediterranean recipes.

Whole grains: packed with diabetic-friendly resistant starch

Provided by whole cereals & grains, this starch basically resists digestion in the stomach and small intestine and is fermented by the large intestine. Thereby providing powerful nourishment for good gut bacteria, which in turn produce healthy short chain fatty acids that reduce blood sugar absorption, hasten satiety and enhance insulin sensitivity. What an incredibly beneficial chain reaction!

Vegetables: help reduce blood sugar especially for Type 2 diabetes.


Vegetables provide high fiber, which delays sugar absorption from the gut, preventing post-meal spikes. Fiber in veggies fills us quickly, preventing over-eating. For diabetics, it’s important to reduce intake of starchy vegetables, so limit potatoes, corn, peas, butternut squash. Go heavy on non-starchy greens, white, red or purple veggies. Overall, for diabetics, 1 cup cooked non-starchy veggies in every meal is ideal.



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South East Asia: Global influence and a distinct cuisine

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SOUTH EAST ASIA: GLOBAL INFLUENCE AND A DISTINCT CUISINE

Blog > South East Asia: Global influence and a distinct cuisine

South East Asia: Global influence and a distinct cuisine

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South East Asia: Global influence and a distinct cuisine
S.E Asia’s 11 countries* with 650 million people and $10 trillion in GDP is a rich confluence of cultures. Despite colonization by the British, French, Dutch and the Spanish; it is the Chinese and Indian heritage that runs deep in its art, culture, ethnicity cuisine and traditions. Yet each country has retained a distinct cuisine that brings to the surface the richness of local flavors with the influence of Buddhist, Muslim and Hindu culinary traditions.

Join us today on a partial tour of SE Asia as we visit rice and lentil rich Myanmar, galangal, kaffir lime & lemongrass flavors of Thailand, the peanut top note of Indonesia and the aromatic herbs of the Vietnamese Pho.

Incidentally, galangal, kaffir lime & lemongrass taken together has proven to correct Cholesterol, LDL, HDL, triglycerides at levels of effectiveness similar to statins and is known to significantly boost immunity. Here’s to great taste contributing to good health

*(Brunei, Cambodia, Laos, Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Timor-Leste, Vietnam)

Vietnam: a delicate cuisine with sound health benefits


A common theme in Vietnamese dishes like Ph?, Bún ch? & Bánh mì is the contrast provided by herbs; the light aroma against a heavy setting, the slight crunch to offset chewy noodles. Cilantro is used not just for fragrance, but also its health benefits. It’s healing properties are attributed to exceptional phytonutrients like Lutein, Zeaxanthin & Quercetin, that prevent cell damage and reduce oxidative stress.

Myanmar: an ancient culture of whole grain & legumes

Myanmar is a major exporter of legumes. The farmers grow beans, chickpeas and lentils between rice sowing seasons, because legumes replace nitrogen in soil after a rice harvest. Their traditional national dish is Mohinga, a rice-based soup thickened with chickpea meal. Today, nutritionists advise combining beans with grains to provide all essential amino acids. The ancient diet of Myanmar was on to that already!

Thailand: a healthy cuisine alongside the art & beauty


Thai cuisine stands out for bursting flavors & richness of ingredients. Most popular is Thai Tom Yum soup, a beautifully complex dish with a topnote of lemongrass, galangal, turmeric. This trifecta is also a powerful ‘pharmacy’. Turmeric is an immune booster, with cancer-destroying curcumin. Galangal eliminates harmful H.Pylori bacteria in the gut. Lemongrass aids digestion & clears respiratory passages for greater immunity.

Indonesia: a rich cuisine combining global influences & healthy ingredients


Indonesian cuisine reflects its history, with influences from India, China, Middle East & Europe. Rice & hearty curry dishes are popular, with peanuts as a topnote for crunch, health and flavor. This nut, used in the signature gado-gado sauce or nasi goreng, is a rich source of plant protein, healthy fats & Vit E. No wonder it’s the star of most Indonesian recipes.



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